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Tathon Zarano
In life, Tathon Zarano (most commonly referred to by his surname, Zarano) was a behemoth of a warrior with a large presence on the battlefield. After rising as an undead, he became the unwilling host of trollish Primal, eventually coming to terms with its presence. Physical Description Zarano is enormous for a human, matching or surpassing most orcs in size and muscle. His back has a severe hunch, as though it is set for a creature that walks on all four legs rather than on two, his immense hands reaching just short of the ground. His eyes seem wild and feral, darting about like a caged animal waiting for an opportunity to break loose. His teeth, constantly visible through a rotted gash in his left cheek, are sharpened and fanged similar to that of a predator beast. Bleached bone juts from decaying flesh out at various parts of his body, all honed to a vicious point. Too large for conventional armor, Zarano wears green plates attached to his massive frame with crisscrossing leather straps. A torn and dirtied tabard bearing the symbol of the Scarlet Crusade is worn with one arm through the collar, the trailing ends tied haphazardly in a knot at his opposite hip. Because of his size and feral appearance, Zarano more closely resembles a Wight than the Forsaken. History Soldier of Lordaeron Due to his immense size, Zarano was drafted into the Lordaeron Army at a young age. When the orcs began attacking Stormwind during the First War, Zarano's unit was among the few sent from Lordaeron to aid the Kingdom of Azeroth. There, Zarano got his first taste of real battle, much preferring it to the small criminal bands the army dealt with back at his homeland. Some humans speculated he must have orcish blood in him to give him such size and ferocity in combat, and they were all grateful to have someone who can match the orcs in sheer strength. Among the Lordaeron units, he became known as the Sun Eater, a name that originated from a soldier giving an account of Zarano saving him when he fell, stating that Zarano's massive silhouette blocked the sun, making it seem as though the warrior was powered by its celestial fire. Zarano's unit was absent during the fateful Siege of Stormwind Keep, and was among the remaining military Anduin Lothar ordered to retreat, along with Azerothian refugees. At the beginning of the Second War, the decimated Lordaeron veterans from the First War were reformed into a single unit, led by Tathon Zarano himself. Due to being the only Lordaeron soldiers with previous combat experience against the orcs, Zarano's unit became known as the Orc Slayers, and were often deployed during offensive maneuvers. When the Dark Portal was destroyed, the Orc Slayers were among those who immediately started to round up all remaining orcs into the internment camps, and did not travel through the Portal into Outland. Death After the conclusion of the Second War, Zarano left the Lordaeron Army, though it is unclear if he received an honorable dicharge, a dishonorable discharge, or if he deserted. He became a mercenary, taking brief jobs as bodyguard, enforcer, and on occasion as a killer. When King Terenas decided to ignore pleas from the north concerning mysterious raids on villages, Andorhal's provincial government hired Zarano and a few others to protect against the mysterious raids. Taken by surprise when the very village residents began turning into the undead and attacking their neighbors, Zarano and the mercenaries were quickly killed, becoming among the first to fall to the Scourge. Risen from the Grave Despite dying very early on in the Third War, Zarano was not reanimated as an undead until well after the conclusion of the war, finally awakening some time after the Dark Portal was reopened. Thus, Zarano was never under the Lich King's control as one of the Scourge. Zarano promptly disowned any association with the Forsaken, denying that Sylvanas had anything to do with his retained free will, and finding their cultish worship of the Forgotten Shadow disconcerting. However, with his homeland destroyed and the rebuilt Stormwind ruthlessly opposed to all forms of undead, Zarano found kinship among the very orcs he once was celebrated for fighting against. Primal Within months of his return to the waking world, Zarano began to exhibit a mental deterioration of sorts, and shortly after his body began to alter to reflect his beastial behavior. A troll shaman recognized the signs of a Primal, though these traits were unprecedented in any human, let alone one reanimated as an undead. The Primal influence quickly exceeded the normal bounds, ultimately devolving Zarano to a near-mindless beast. He was contained in a cage for a time as others tried to find ways to cure him, but he soon escaped and lived as a predator in the Kalimdor wildnerness. Recovery Through means unknown, Zarano eventually regained his awareness. Though he is still a Primal, with its animalistic influence still strong, he seems to have control over it. Current Activities After reacquainting himself with the civilized world, Zarano decides to reapply himself as a mercenary. Given his strength, fighting skill, and Primal abilities, the Warsong Offensive and Hand of Vengeance were each more than happy to hire Zarano for their efforts in Northrend. Rate My Character! Please provide any feedback regarding this character and his portrayal on the wiki in the talk page. External References Category:Characters Category:Horde Warrior Category:Horde Category:Undead